1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

[lakelover]

I just bought a 1987 Chev. Celebrity w/ 74,000 miles (2.8L fuel injected) for my son to travel to college.<br /><br />He had trouble starting it one time, then a couple days later, I had the same problem. It would catch then die right away, only staying running if I pressed the gas pedal as soon as it started. Once it was running, it was OK. There was less than 1/4 tank of gas, so I stopped at the gas station to fill up. When I unscrewed the gas cap, there was a long rush of air being sucked into the tank. I put the gas in and it has run OK since then. It always starts right up when there is a lot of gas in the tank.<br /><br />Do you think I need to replace the vented gas cap, maybe that's why it had trouble starting??<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[DJ]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

lakelover,<br /><br />Your gas cap may, or may not be, vented. Most likely the tank is vented to the charcoal canister under the hood. That venting may not be happening or the canister is full of fuel.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

If it is fuel injected, it is not uncommon for there to be a pressure difference that is relieved when you open the cap. I have not owned a fuel injected vehicle that didn't exhibit a pressure change when the cap was removed. <br /><br />Congrats on owning one of the few remaining 2.8 GM V6 engines. Due to dramatic failure rates, they are getting very difficult to find at salvage yards. They like to lose oil pressure due to bearing wear and subsequently toss a rod or three through the block.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas.<br /><br />And,<br /><br />"Congrats on owning one of the few remaining 2.8 GM V6 engines. Due to dramatic failure rates, they are getting very difficult to find at salvage yards. They like to lose oil pressure due to bearing wear and subsequently toss a rod or three through the block."<br /><br />if I get a year or two out of it, I'll be more than satisfied, given what I paid for it.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

lakeover,<br /><br />My favorite kind of car!!!! No long term committment and every mile you roll over one year of ownership is a bonus.<br /><br />My college car was on the way to the junkyard and I got it for 50 bucks. $8.50 for a distributor cap and I ran it for 3 years. Had a real love/hate relationship with that one..<br /><br />74 Plymouth Sebring with a slant 6. Butt ugly, but the ladies didn't seem to mind

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

Amen!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

Well, just to follow up, the new gas cap didn't make any difference. What did though, was a new set of plugs and cleaning the throttle body out. Runs great now.

 

[ChrisMcLaughlin]

Re: 1987 Chev. Celebrity gas cap ? help

"Butt ugly but the ladies didn't seem to mind."<br />I have always looked better than what I have driven. And I'm not all that good looking!!!!